A NIGHT race at Mount Panorama could be a possibility in the future.
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Supercars is considering further night races as part of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship after a successful event in Sydney last Saturday.
Twenty-six cars raced for 300 kilometres under lights with Shane van Gisbergen coming away with the win.
It was the first championship night race in Australia in more than 20 years.
Drivers were full of compliments for the event and said they would like to see more opportunities for night racing in the future.
In a post-race television interview, championship leader Scott McLaughlin said: “We need a tonne more of it … every government in Australia needs to look at it.”
Bathurst Regional councillor Warren Aubin said local night racing could be an option in the future – not on the main Mount Panorama circuit, but on the second track.
“I think that the second track will probably have lighting,” he said.
“I know when the 24 Hour race was on at Bathurst, one of the biggest expenses was to have lighting.
“You’ve got to have lights on every corner for the markers for the drivers.”
The second circuit design tender was awarded to United Kingdom-based company Apex Circuit Design in July, but it will take more than a year for a final design to be ready.
Construction will follow after that on land to the western side of McPhillamy and Reid parks, and below the ridge where the existing clay target club is located.
Cr Aubin said the night race at Sydney Motorsport Park would need to be analysed further, but he could see something similar bringing economic benefits to Bathurst.
He also said promoters outside of Supercars would have an interest in night racing on the second circuit.
“The benefit of that is they can do it over there, because remember on the Mount Panorama track we can only have five [full track] closures and we already have four,” Cr Aubin said.